At Risk Youth Program

Our At-Risk-Youth program consists of weekly barn management, horseback riding, and carriage-driving lessons for youth in alternative education programs that include one hour of the school day as an incentive. Horses and the ranch atmosphere greatly incentivize the youth. Horses accept them on a non-judgmental basis. They teach them to be open, trusting, cooperative, and appreciative.

What is required to participate in this program?

Program participants must meet behavioral and academic application objectives set by their school's alternative education program each week in order to participate. Additionally, they must provide one hour of community service at SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center. This work includes cleaning stalls and equipment, grooming horses, assisting in medication and horse hygiene activities, assisting in horse shoeing and trimming, and grounds maintenance. The youth then receives a free riding or carriage driving lesson. They also receive classroom training in horse anatomy, hygiene, feeding and care.

Are mentors involved?

Yes, mentors are recruited and carefully selected from the students of the two large universities that are within 10 minutes of our facilities. The mentors receive training in safety, CPR, horse handling and grooming, behavior modification, listening skills, and farm work. The mentors who work alongside SpiritHorse instructors help youth to build competence, confidence, and improve communications and learning skills.

Why teach these youth horsemanship skills?

Denton County has the largest horse industry of any county in the United States. Our training program is designed to equip the youth for jobs in this industry, providing hope for their future. This program benefits the community by helping reduce juvenile crime, causing at-risk-youth to become productive members of society, providing a resource for workers in the horse industry, and increase community awareness of measures available to reduce juvenile crime.

SpiritHorse is available as a diversion program that is more private than many of the present programs and will not have the negative impact on the offender's self esteem inherent in programs such as public works. Participants can take pride in their support of therapeutic riding and will not be identified as community service workers, but will work on an equal and transparent footing with other SpiritHorse volunteers.

The program provides an activity for the youth that is usually available only to the upper-middle class. This gives them status and a glimpse of a life that can be available to them with hard work and sacrifice. The relationship with their mentors creates an atmosphere for counseling by both example and word. Family days can be scheduled at a time when their parents are not at work, which will allow the youth to demonstrate their skills to their families, fostering family pride and unity. The program is patterned after At-Risk-Youth programs that have been successfully administered in therapeutic riding centers across the country.